At the end of March I bailed the EcoTrail de Paris, I had an awful day! One week later I was in the English Lakes with the prospect of running 30 miles or so over the Lakeland 50/100 mile route.
Let’s put things into perspective! The EcoTrail is a a lovely race, it has some hills but in comparison to the English Lakes, it’s flat! Therefore I was really hoping that the previous weeks ‘bad race’ was a one off!
The Lakeland team really do a great job. Not only do they provide the recce’s at a very affordable price but they also provide so much more… The night before the run we had a series of lectures, Marc Laithwaite from the Endurancecoach discussed nutrition and Gaynor Pryor talked about how she was first female in the 100 mile race in 2011.
On the morning of the recce we awoke to a light frost and some blue skies. Thank goodness! The Lakes can be a tough place when the weather turns nasty. We arrived at our meeting point at Waterhead just before 0800. This allowed me some time to record some audio for Talk Ultra. I spoke to last years winner, Terry Conway, I also spoke to a few ultra novices. It’s great to get a variety of feedback.
Our day ahead was covering Pooley Bridge back to Ambleside. Depending on which race you are doing, this is roughly the first 30 miles of the ’50’ or mile 55 to 85 in the ‘100’ give or take! It’s a stunning part of the Lakes with wonderful views, good runnable trail, some tough climbs and a day when the sun shines, it’s just a pleasure to be out running.
Always surprises me with a recce how some runners just fly off at the start…. Guys, it’s not a race!! The whole purpose of a recce is to run the course taking good mental notes of where and how to navigate, build up some time on your feet and also meet and talk to some like minded people.
The gradual climb out of Pooley Bridge soon had us running some great single track as we by phased Ullswater on our right and headed down to what would be a checkpoint in the race. For today’s purpose, we had no checkpoint. We crossed the road, through gates and then jogged through the valley to start our first big climb of the day.
We walked, talked and discussed the race ahead in a few months. The Lakeland is a tough route and get your pace wrong and you’ll pay for it! Today’s weather was proving quite hot and you could already see some struggling.
Over the climbe we then had a period of good running before heading down to Mardale. Terry Conway had caught up and we chatted. Turned out the day previous he and some Irish friends had run the first 52 miles of the course; nice! He had no visible signs of his body showing what his previous day had entailed. I guess that’s the difference between being a winner and a participant!!
Around Mardale is beautiful and today with the sun out and blue skies it looked incredible. It’s tough underfoot in this section with the terrain constantly changing. It’s rocky and rolls up and down. At Mardale head we had a checkpoint and an opportunity to refuel. It was very welcome! I did my best to consume a malt loaf.
The climb up out of Mardale is a long steep one. The path snakes it’s way to the top helping to reduce some of the gradient. From the top it’s a long run down over rocky terrain. This is when you are really glad you have Hoka One One on your feet. The full suspension mountain bike of run shoes. Yes, they make that much difference.
At the bottom a right turn and over a bridge and another rocky climb… This time the path was blocked by a 4×4 stuck precariously with its wheels spinning. At the top of the climb another 4×4 getting ready to help winch the other guy up… I wondered why? And then thought to myself, they probably had the same thought… Why are they running?
We dropped down to Kentmere and a final checkpoint before the last long tough climb of the day. A few runners started to suffer here. It had been a long day, a hot one and this climb sapped the calfs and hamstrings. At the top the decent ahead is very technical and I guess it’s like running down a quarry. It’s all rocks and they just vary in size and sharpness. Again, the Hoka’s are a dream on this stuff and it’s noticeable how much less impact you get.
Some trail now and finally road. A right turn, a left, up the trail and now we are parallel to Windemere and on the final run in to Ambleside.
We covered just under 30 miles and it was a stunning day. You cannot beat the Lakes on days like this! What was also nice was the easy and relaxed pace of the day. No pressure just running, chatting and meeting new people.
That evening we had some chill time and a great meal in Ambleside.
Monday, Niandi and I headed back out on the trail and started on the remaining section of the Lakeland route heading out to the Langdales. We didn’t run far, 90 mins but it was great to get back on the trail and it was good for the legs to feel fresh.
Looking forward now to the full 50 route recce in June which will take place over two days. Day one will be about 50k with remaining 30k done on day two.
Niandi Carmont
Endurancelife Weekend – Flete
Imagine a weekend on the southern coast at the Flete estate near Plymouth. Open fields, a bunch of endurance addicts, evening lectures, a camp fire, plenty of food, some sun, yes, some sun!
Endurancelife for the second year once again arranged a superb weekend. They even managed to secure some dry weather amidst a very wet April and early May. Ironic that parts of the UK are in a drought.
Based on the Flete estate, the surroundings are superb. Stunning coastline, sandy beaches, quiet inlets and of course the opportunity to camp on site. The weekend is a mix of events all geared at fulfilling new desires, testing new boundaries or fulfilling the needs of the dedicated.
I arrived on Friday via train with Niandi. Lacking a car at the moment made logistics a little awkward, so we managed to find some cheap accommodation in Plymouth and along with ELA ambassador James Adams we shared a hire car for the weekend. The plus side for us was that we had a warm bed for the evenings but I can’t help but think we missed out on some of the fun.
We arrived on Saturday at event HQ just in time to see the ‘Raid’ get underway. A multi discipline event that involves mountain biking, running and kayaking. Being the dedicated endurance athletes that we are, Niandi, James and myself got a Laver bread sandwich and coffee and relaxed on the grass. Laver bread was a new one on me, made from seaweed you wouldn’t expect it to be too tasty but it sure was. Especially when you add a fried egg, some mushrooms and spinach. Oh I do love sport as it does allow you to indulge in endurance eating too.
Neil Bryant arrived and asked if we had planned to take part in the Aquatrail. A swim, run, swim run and so on event. James did go through the comical process of trying a wet suit on but thought better of it and with the exception of Neil we decided that spectating would be the best option. Not before we had another Laver bread though first…
Late afternoon, what looked like a bunch of tall seals lined up on the beach ready to do battle with cold water and trail running. As they entered the water you could hear a few screams as the cold took the breath away. Out to a buoy and back to the beach they then ran off around the coastline taking in two more swims and run sections to eventually return back to the start point and repeat the process a couple more times. For nearly everyone this was an introduction to Aquatrail and although they had been told that it would involve 2k of swimming and 10k of running I don’t think many had anticipated how hard the event would be. Certainly as they came out of the water at the end of lap one the cold water was having an effect but many battled on with cold hands and feet to a successful completion of the first Aquatrail.
Back at camp we sat around the fire and listened to stories and music. A wonderfully chilled hour as the sun started to disappear on the horizon.
With darkness the first evening of Live More Lectures started. Stories of crossing Oceans rowing, climbing to the summit of Mt Everest and running the Bob Graham Round in the English Lakes. Stories to inspire and motivate. The three of us left the camp close to midnight not leaving much opportunity for sleep before the early Sunday start to take part in the Coastal Trail Series.
Niandi and myself ran the marathon and teammates Oliver Sinclair, Neil Bryant and James Adams ran the ultra. Having run nearly all the Coastal Series, Flete is the one race I hadn’t run so I was interested to see what lay in store. From the off, the eventual winner flew off at break neck pace and never eased up. We only saw him again at about 5k into the race when all the front runners missed a left turn due to a misplaced course marker (very unusual). The early miles had a couple of tough climbs but then the middle section had some great single track. At checkpoint 2 I dibbed in with my Sportident and ran straight off leaving my two running partners. Slowly opening up a gap I remained in 2nd place right to the end to take a very satisfying 2nd place. However, the top 3 place was not that easy to come by! the final 6-8 miles of the Flete course are pretty darn tough. The climbs are vertical and seriously hurt the calf muscles and hamstrings. Over the final climb and on the run in to the finish we had a river crossing which was just what the legs needed. All that cold water on tired muscles. Perfect. In the Ultra, Oli was second and Neil 3rd making a good haul of the top places for the Endurancelife Team.
The sun was out and recovery for the next few hours was paramount. Of course that meant some chill time by the fire, another laver bread and plenty of fluid… no, I was good, no alcohol. Well, not until later when I treated myself to a glass of red!
The evening lectures soon came around and we kicked off with tales of going to the North Pole. Our final talk of the evening was by Deborah Searle who had achieved stunning feats by rowing solo some 10 years ago. In the middle was me! Yes, me!
When I had been asked to talk I was left with a dilemma. I felt that in comparison to rowing the Atlanic, climbing Everest or going to the North Pole my achievements were insignificant. But I have one strength, I feel that I am an ordinary person who could inspire other ordinary people to also achieve and push boundaries in a simple way. Since the passing of my Dad in 2009 I had never spoken in public about my 8 marathons in 8 days that had become such a test at a very trying time. So, putting myself under the pressure of literally breaking down in tears in front of a packed room I put some demons to rest in my talk. I managed not to break down (just about) and I hope that I got across a simple story of running that anyone could undertake.
It was a brilliant weekend. Both Niandi and myself had a great time and it was such a pleasure to mix with some great friends, make new friends and soak up the south coast.
As per usual, the Endurancelife crew but on another super slick event with the whole team being so helpful. I would like to give some special thanks to Kate for all the help prior to the weekend and on the weekend.
See you all next year
Iznik Ultra
From the sound of the morning call to pray to the evening call for prayer, Turkey has a charm and a charisma that I have not experienced in another place. The people epitomize friendliness and an openness to help and a willingness to go out of the way to make your experience as a tourist a pleasant one.
Istanbul is chaos! The roads are blocked, the streets are frantic and amongst this is a calm and a charm that one cannot help but warm to. The Grand Bazaar I guess has lost some of the original charm of a typical ‘souk’. It shows signs of commercialism but how can one resist the urge to indulge. In close proximity one has the Blue Mosque, the Fire Tower and San Sophia. Working your way down to the Bosphorus one is greeted with ferry boats, fish restaurants and a bustle that increasingly comes to life with the approach of the night. Lights glow, the sky goes to a deep dark blue and the skyline is illuminated with Mosques. It’s quite magical.
Leaving the chaos of Istanbul and heading north for the 2+ hour journey to Iznik that included a relaxing ferry crossing was a stark contrast to the attack on my senses for the last 24 hours. Suddenly we had some calm and a time to reflect.
Our approach to Iznik was greeted by entering the north west corner of the lake ‘Iznik Golu’. Making the road journey to Iznik Village gave us wonderful panoramic views of what lay in store with the Iznik Ultra. A large beautiful lake, surrounded by mountains and fields of Olive Trees.
Iznik formerly known as Nikaia is in the province of Bursa and is some 90km south west of Istanbul as the crow flies. Iznik was surrounded by walls to protect it but now the walls are pierced in many places for roads. With a population of around 17,000 it has been a district center for Bursa since the early 1930’s. It has a deep history, Orhan 1 captured Iznik in 1331 from the Byzantium Forces and for a short period the town became the capital of the expanding Ottoman Empire. Famous for pottery and tiles, many of the Mosques in Istanbul have Iznik tiles designed by Mimar Sinan. This history was reflected in the wonderful finishers medals and plaques for the Iznik Ultra.
Our arrival at our hotel on the lake was a pleasurable one and soon followed with arrival at the race headquarters. The MCR Racesetter event team had taken over a club premises on the lake and turned into a control hub for the race. You would never have guessed that this was the first ultra that the they had organized. It was very slick and the attention to detail was immaculate. Caner (pronounced Janer) Odabasoglu , race director, the previous year had taken part at the TDS in Chamonix and he had obviously learnt a great deal from the experience. He had taken all the good aspects of the UTMB series of races and applied them to his own race. I had been helped expertly by Burcu Karakelle and Rabia Karaağaç in my pre trip preparations and they also manned the registration point. Needless to say, once registration was over they re applied themselves to the course and the smooth running of the event. Caner had not only pulled in his working team from Macera Akademisi but he had also pulled in the help of personal friends and he had mobilized the Iznik community and supporting villages and made this event important to them. They had a real pride in servicing all the competitors.
With a pre race kit check done that included a ‘typical’ requirement of : base layer, jacket with hood, first aid, elastic bandage, head torch, hat, gloves, food and the capacity to carry 1.5ltr of liquid I was able to relax and mix with other racers. I was initially surprised by some of the entrants, we had a couple of South Africans, French, Russian and even a Brazilian on the start sheet. The Brazilian unfortunately didn’t make the race due to some travel issues. On chatting, it turned out that the French guy was Jean-Loup Feneaux, the creator of AHOTU (www.ahotu.com) what I would consider to be the best reference point for all races in the world. In addition I was introduced to Ilgaz. Ilgaz is a co presenter of an ultra running podcast for Turkey. Quite amazing as he introduced himself to me as he recognized me (and my voice) from Talk Ultra. The ultra world really is a small one!
So the race!
We congregated in the Iznik centre for a pre race briefing at 0700 and then the race started, on the dot at 0730.
The previous days blue skies and warm weather had been replaced with rain but temperatures were mild. In many respects, perfect conditions for me! On the end of the count down we left on mass being told that the first few km’s although part of the race would be neutralized. They wanted to create a run procession as we left the town. It was perfect!
The race route was marked to perfection with either floor paint or red and white ribbons every 30-100 meters. Literally, if you had run for more than a minute without seeing a marker you knew you had gone wrong! It’s very reassuring. Although the 126k route was a loop of the lake and of course, the 60k was pretty much half of the lake, it was by no means flat as one would expect. Quite the opposite! All the vertical gain was undertaken in the first 60k making the shorter race a tough one as obviously you would be pushing harder, for the 126k runners this also meant that ‘pacing’ was crucial.
The short road section lasted 4km and soon became trail and then climbing to 580 meters. The trail path was wide, rutted and in parts slippery due to the falling rain. It was possible to run/ walk much of this early section, however, I am sure those running the longer race will have walked much of this first climb. Harder steeper sections had sections of flat and then more climbing. This scenario repeated itself constantly over the first 13kms and the first checkpoint at Derbent. From Derbent village we once again re joined trail heading west and this section incorporated a whole mixture of trail. Rutted ground, soft ground, rocks and of course plenty of climbing and descending. Under foot conditions in general where very good. To our left as we ran this section of trail we had the stunning views of snow capped mountains and to our right, the Iznik Golu lake and the Yenisehir Plains. It was stunning.
The Suleymanie checkpoint at 28.5km was an opportunity to re fill bottles/ bladder and soak up the appreciation from local villagers. Caner and his team had done a superb job informing, mobilizing and involving the local villages and communities. You must remember, running is not something the Turkish people have much experience of. Ultra running is pretty muck unknown…. The Iznik Ultra is very much at the forefront of Turkish ultra running.
The climb out of Suleymaniye was steep and tough and lasted almost 2km and then a long decent to the next checkpoint at 36km at Muskule. This was a simple checkpoint and really more of timing check than anything else. A small climb and then a long steep decent to a section of road than ran parallel to the Lake. Police escorted the runners and provided safety. This section lasted almost 10k going from the 37km mark to the next check point at Narlica at 42km. This was a key check point and a larger village. The whole town had turned out to cheer everybody on.
Now the hardest climb of the course. Heading out of the village you immediately headed up on a muddy, rutted trail that lasted for 7km climbing to 750 meters. It was made even more difficult as this track was used by the farmer, therefore the route up was basically in deeply rutted tractor tracks. The rain was falling harder and harder and the course was now becoming increasingly slippery under foot. It was tough on the mind, the body and more importantly the legs. Finally at the top a flattish section of trail was followed with a long quad busting decent to the 60km finish in Soloz. The trail to the finish was technical in places and quite steep. I know that many post race expressed how difficult they found this run in to Soloz. Again, the local community was out in force. As it happened, I was the winner of the 60km race in 6hrs 01min. It would have been nice to have been under 6hrs and certainly if in future editions the course is dry and without rain, that time will drop. To run the final uphill road section to the line with the applause of the locals, the cheers of the children and the appreciation of the Iznik Ultra team will be a memory I hold forever. I sincerely feel that what has been created in this race is the start of an ever increasing and ever popular ultra scene within Turkey.
At the finish I was able to relax, applaud and watch my fellow runners come in. For many though, this was only a 60km checkpoint. Motivated by a finish line in the centre of Iznik some 67km away, they refueled and step by step rejoined the course. It was now early afternoon and the occasional glimpses of sun and warm started to disappear. The rain increased and with it, the wind.
With the climbing done in the first 60km, the remaining running should have been relatively easy and flat. The course now pretty much hugged the lake until the 76km and the checkpoint at Ornekkoy. Here, you are taken inland to the 81km checkpoint and you then remain inland with the lake to your right until Ilica at 95km’s.
Running through Olive fields, the increasing heavy rain now made the course difficult under foot. With the added difficulty of night, it was now a test of will power for the remaining runners. A welcome section of road from 100km’s to 107km’ s provided some rest with the inclusion of a checkpoint at the village of Boyalica.
The dark, the rain, the mud, the wind tested everyone, the runners and the dedicated team of helpers and check point officials. At 111km’s another section of road and then the final push with a check point at Kurukpru at km 119. With just 8km’s to go, the finish was in sight. The arrival in Iznik awaited. But of course it was now the middle of the night. The winning time was 15hrs 45m.
The next day a 10km race had been arranged that created a perfect opportunity to introduce running to a greater audience. The town came out in force and was superb to see all ages and abilities taking part. Potential ultra runners of the future…. With marching bands, local dignitaries and a superbly organized prize presentation at 1pm the Iznik Ultra came to a close.
The medals and award plaques were something quite special. Iznik, famous for its hand made tiles had produced via a local tile maker all the finishing medals and plaques. A truly great memento.
I have raced all over the world and I have raced for many years. I have rarely scene a race so expertly organized or put together. It was the attention to detail, the course marking, the staff, the local community, the friendliness, the awards ceremony and the prizes that all came together to make this one of my fondest racing experiences. For this to be the MCR teams first event was quite incredible. I cannot praise Caner and his team enough.
Moving forward, this race will increase in popularity, it will bring in runners from around the world and will become a race to add to a runners ‘bucket list’. All I can say is that it deserves all the praise it can get. I for one will be back in 2013, no doubt
Notes:
Traveling from the UK to Istanbul is possible via Easyjet from London Luton.
Depending on available time, I would recommend a Thursday flight with an overnight stop in Istanbul. Stay in the Old City near all the sights.
Transfer from Istanbul to Iznik takes approximately 2 to 3 hours and includes a ferry crossing. Traffic in Istanbul is chaotic so be prepared.
Iznik is well serviced with hotels and many are on the Lake just a few minutes from race registration and the race start.
The first 60km are hilly and many may find poles useful.
Trail shoes are essential.
In training, practice going uphill and in particular train on hills putting as much emphasis on going down as going up. Many found the running downhill is what tired them the most.
Temperatures are usually quite warm but for this years race conditions became difficult, Particularly those running in the 126k.
Check and make sure you have mandatory kit. You will be checked pre race and during the race,
PLEASE VIEW ALL THE IMAGES of Turkey and the race here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iancorless/sets/72157629440938000/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iancorless/sets/72157629851013253/
Details for 2013
Race Director – Caner Odabasoglu
Address :
Macera Akademisi – MCR Race Setter Geyikli Sokak No:4/2
Beşiktaş – İstanbul / TÜRKİYE
Istanbul
EcoTrail de Paris 2012
Another year and another EcoTrail. Since 2008 I have been in and out of Paris on a regular basis. Niandi, although South African born is a Parisian at heart and after living in the City for 20 years she considers it her home! I personally love the place. It’s my favourite City. No doubt!
In 2008 the EcoTrail de Paris was originated. I missed the first edition but 2009 was my introduction to the event. What could be better, 50 miles of trails, beautiful forests, stunning views and of course, the best finish line in any race. A night time run up to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. It’s magical.
In my first year I ran with Niandi wanting to enjoy the experience together. Although I had a tough day I loved it.
In 2010 I went back with friends and ran quicker, in 2011 I went back again and ran quicker. Each time I missed my own target of sub 8 hours.
This year, although my training had not been perfect I hoped would be my year. As it turned out, it wasn’t. Not by a long shot…..
The EcoTrail has developed considerably over the five years of its life and they now offer a 30k, 50k and 80k option. The races start outside the centre of Paris and you basically run into the city with a final 10k along the Seine and an ascent to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower for the 80k runners at the finish. The course is predominantly trail through woods, forests and trails. You have a few villages to pass through and few road sections but ultimately it is wonderful off road trail.
Temperatures in Paris shot up to the mid 20’s when I arrived on the Friday. On Saturday, race day, with a midday start we knew it was going to be a tough one. The previous day I had discussed with Jean Charles the Race Director, about the feed stations. In previous years they had the first feed and 14 miles and the second at 31 miles…. A long way! JC informed me that they had added an extra feed station to fill the gap! Good, it was needed and particularly with the weather forecast.
On race day, the sun beat through our hotel window at 7am. It was going to be hot. We made our way leisurely to the start allowing for plenty of time. With such weather it was no problem to be out in the open air relaxing on the grass. We had an opportunity to meet up with French friends; Huguette, Katel, Jean Pierre and I also met up with Emre Tok from Turkey.
At midday we started. It’s always congested initially as 2000 runners head out to the trails. I controlled my effort wanting to slowly move up the field without exerting too much energy. My target was to run 8 min miles on the flat and power the hills. Within 8 miles I had moved up the field and was running in clear space with small groups of runners. The heat was beating down but I felt good. Relaxed even!
The first feed seemed to come quickly. I filled two 500 ml bottles and probably had about 500 ml left in my bladder. I grabbed food and walked out of the station taking 3-5 mins to eat while still making progress on the course.
I was now much more in isolation with just handfuls of runners here and there. Twenty miles came and I was suddenly feeling not too great. I was getting some spasm in my legs, particularly calfs and I was starting to feel just not 100%. Nausea was making feel light Heade and I was getting some double vision. I couldn’t understand it? I had drunk over 2 litres of electrolyte drink at this point. Surely I couldn’t be dehydrated. The previous night I had had some bad headaches late at night. I was beginning to think that maybe I had picked up a bug.
From here on in it just got worse and worse. Headaches, tightness in my chest, my throat ‘closing’ not allowing me to drink. The climbs became purgatory and the flat sections just ridiculous. I was jog/ walking and could do no more. Runners started to come past me and it was becoming survival. Not really what I wanted….
I though of JC telling me that they had added a feed station and I thought, I just need to get to that! I went through the marathon in 4 hours, so, I was sort of on my 8 hour pace but I just knew that unless I got energy, hydration and somehow had a remarkable recovery, this was not my day…. The feed finally came but it was at 30 miles!!! Yes, some 16 miles after the first. It turned out NOT to be a feed station but just a water point.
I have only ever quit one other race and that was because of a hernia! The process of handing my number in at the second feed in the EcoTrail was an easy one! I was in bits. No broken! I had no mental strength and no determination to push myself to the end. I wouldn’t say I am the ‘best’ at suffering but I can do it. Today was not one of those days.
The feeling of complete emptiness is one that I never wish to experience again. Double vision, a dried up tight throat that made it difficult to swallow, sickness and this tightness in my chest that did have me a little concerned. I thought of Dean Karnazes saying that you should always try to finish but sometimes a DNF is okay when those initials mean Did Nothing Fatal!
It may sound extreme but I have never quite had a run experience like it.
The EcoTrail is a race I love. Paris is a place I love. I still have wonderful memories and although 2012 edition of the EcoTrail is not the story I wanted, it is still a story and one that we can all learn from! Ultimately, it’s ONLY RUNNING. Running is an enhancement of my life, a passion, an enjoyment, an opportunity to mix and bond with similar people. Saturday became purgatory and I never want running to become that! I accept good and bad days, I accept the will and determination required to complete an ultra but ultimately for me I must have the overall sensation of enjoyment. I was not enjoying Saturday!
With my number handed in, other runners began to drop like flies. Looking back, I don’t think I had a bug. I’m pretty sure I had a combination of several things but more importantly my race came to an end through dehydration! I have always needed plenty of liquid and importantly salt. Although by that 30 mile point I had consumed 2.5 Lts of Electrolyte, it wasn’t enough.
In addition to all the above, my build up to EcoTrail was not perfect. Don’t get me wrong, no excuses. The day was the day! But I have been burning the candle at both ends with extremely long and stressful work hours, reduced training and little sleep. I guess ultimately something has to give! A hot day, 50 miles of trails and I guess not being 100% contributed in what was on the day, an easy decision.
Of course, the day after is always the tough one. As I walk around Paris and see ‘finisher T shirts’ everywhere you think to yourself, was I just weak! Could I have carried on? I guess the answer is yes. Would I have achieved anything? Well, other than another finish, no. Best to take in the views, eat and drink! Why not…
I wanted to look at the big picture and in the coming two months I have a stacked calendar. To pull out and hopefully speed up the recovery process will mean that I can be back fighting sooner rather than later.
This coming weekend I have a 50k recce in the English Lakes on the Lakeland 50/100 route, two weeks after that I am heading to Turkey to report on the first edition of the Iznik Ultra and participate in the 60k. The weekend after that I have London Marathon which I hope will be ‘just fun’ and then the week after that I will be in Scotland for the Highland Fling; another tough 50 miler. Again at the Highland Fling I will be working/ running, so, the pressure is off. I will just be a participant, but, 50 miles is still 50 miles even if you try to take it easy.
So, another great weekend in Paris and of course I have the opportunity to go back to the race and try to put the record straight next year!!!
All experiences are valid, even the bad ones!
Trail du Mercantour
Menton has been a favourite family holiday destination for over 25 years. So much so that Mum & Dad purchased a time share some years ago. Since Dad passed away in 2009, Menton has become even more special. September in particular. A few reasons for this, Dads birthday is on the 18th, Mums on the 24th and most importantly it where Mum and myself spread Dads ashes. It was his request.
In 2010 I was with Mum for ‘our week’. An opportunity for some sun, an opportunity to reminisce and an opportunity to be with Dad on his birthday. Not in a sad way, but in a way that I am sure you can all understand.
I digress. It was in 2010 that I noticed a race called the ‘Trail du Mercantour’. To be honest, I couldn’t miss it as race registration was almost outside our hotel on the beach. Of course I hadn’t planned to race, firstly I didn’t know about it and secondly some seven days later I was running Millau 100k in Provence. But it was just too tempting….. With three races on offer, 17k, 29k and 53k I made the sensible option and picked the 17k. I loved it. I raced hard and got 4th place. I swore I would come back for the long one!
So, 2011 came around. Niandi and myself entered the 53k and headed over to France for a long weekend. Menton is the last place on the south coast of France. In fact it is almost Italian. Everyone speaks both languages and the restaurants seem to split themselves evenly between both cuisines. It has a beautiful old town and has a pace on the slower side in comparison to Nice, Cannes and St Tropez. With about an hours travel time from Nice airport it is a perfect place for a relaxing break or a race!
THE RACE
The race is a point to point race staring at the Col du Turini some 50+kms away from Menton. The race retraces a route back to the coast and sea level by trail along mountain passes. After 24k it passes through the village of Sospel, here the 29k and 17k races start. The 29k race is the same route as the remainder of the 54k route, the 17k race veers off for a shorter more direct route to the coast after a few km’s. Having done the 17k race I thought I knew what the course would be like! No! I could not have been more wrong…… To put it bluntly, it is one of the toughest races I have done and without doubt the hardest 50k race. To put things into perspective, my PB for a trail 50k is 3:46. This race took 7:45 and the winning time was 6 hours!
AN EARLY START
Niandi and myself were up at 4:30am to eat, have some coffee and then make our way to the race bus that would transport us to the race start in the mountains. Leaving on time at 6am we arrived at the Col at 7:30am. We immediately rushed to the hotel that was open. Keep warm, drink more coffee and then get ready. We ventured outside with 10mins to spare before the off.
It started to rain. It started to thunder. It started lightning. Oh my goodness we thought! The Trail du Mercantour is infamous for the death of 3 runners a few years ago. They got stranded on the course in bad weather, got hyperthermia and died. It was this set of circumstances that caused the French to review the whole procedures and kit requirements that go into a race. Makes sense. So if in future you are racing in France And think they are being a little too particular on ‘required kit’, think back to this, it may give some perspective.
Niandi and myself made our goodbyes and we headed off in torrential rain. Immediately going up to the top of the Col. In no time we where heading down, and down, and down. It was tough. The trail was slippery, technical and mentally you needed to be very focused. I was in a good place holding a position in the top 10. I felt pretty good but it was apparent that my decending skills did not match the French and Italians. I was better than most but nowhere near as good as the front runners. You really need to be running on terrain this technical on a regular basis to feel confident and at ease with it. I was working much harder than I needed to or should have been doing to keep in touch. I found it mentally exhausting having to watch for each foot placement and plan my route down.
The course was marked by orange and green ribbons and I must say the route was marked brilliantly. Two major check points were supplemented with smaller check points, it was necessary to ‘dib in’ with a timing chip. As I ran I was thinking of Niandi. She loves trail but she doesn’t love technical trail. In fact she hates it. Pre race we had discussed the option of her pulling out at Sospel, 24k into the race if she was having problems. Alternatively, she could make her race shorter by taking the 17k route back to Menton.
I soon found that I was alone on the trail. The effort of trying to keep with the front five was too much and when I lost my footing and face planted the trail. Caution was always going to take over! Although the route was well marked, several runners went off course. On two occasions I shouted to a few runners as they headed off in the wrong direction.
When not running down we where going up. Technical twisty trail, slippery in places but in general it was just the gradient and length of climbs that made them hard. Pretty much everyone was using poles and those that didn’t have them searched in the woodland for sticks to help them. After 24k I arrived at Sospel in 2:30hrs which I was happy with. I was still up at the front end of the field but some way off the ‘goats’ at the very front. At Sospel we were greeted by all the runners who would be doing the 17k race. They had a start time of 10:30am. I stopped, dibbled in, filled my two bottles, grabbed some pretzels and moved on. I would now be climbing out of Sospel for quite some time. Initially we had a short road section before branching off on to single track. Suddenly I was surprised by runners around me. The 17k race had started. Of course, they only had 17k to run and they were as fresh as daisies. I was conscious that I was going to be in the way. I was working hard running when I could, power walking when I couldn’t. Funny because I soon realised that I was going no slower than everyone else. The trail soon split with the 53 and 29k route going to the left and the 17k going to the right. I was now alone again.
I know had a section of wooded trail. It was muddy and pretty slippery but very runnable. I started to catch the tail end of the 29k race that had started earlier. Moving past them I pushed on as best I could and then we hit the major climb. Starting at about 1,000m we would now climb to 4500m (over 0,000ft). This climb was hard. Pace was slow and it was a matter of gritting your teeth and getting on with it. I reckon it was taking 30 minutes to cover a mile here. Although raining it was warm. I suddenly felt flat. Lacking energy and feeling thirsty. I had been so preoccupied with keeping up right and maintaining my effort that I had neglected to eat. Certainly I hadn’t eaten enough. I take salt tablets every hour to keep my electrolytes balanced but I was also feeling dehydrated. I took time out to eat an energy bar and push on. After 4:30hrs I was out of liquid and desperate for a feed station. Of course, I was in the middle of nowhere so the only option was to keep going. After hours of climbing I reached a plateau and waiting at the top was a car with a couple of Italians. They had water and ice tea. Desperate for liquid I filled both my bottles with ice tea, immediately drank one and then refilled it. The Italian lady was shaking hands at me and making gestures. I smiled and nodded and in French asked if I needed to ‘dib in’ my timing chip. In true fashion she threw both arms in the air and told me it was ahead. I left now running down some good trail.
After a short distance I arrived at a feed station and check point. Funny that these two had been so close! It later turned out that I had taken some Italian couples picnic…. Well at least their ice tea!!! No wonder she was so vocal. Funny when I think back but I was so in need of liquid that I just didn’t think or question. At this feed I now moved to Coke. I had been thinking for the mlast few miles about having a nice cold Coke with ice and lemon. Of course I had no ice or lemon but the coke would more than suffice. I filled both bottles and was off.
More climbing now and this time it was like being in a quarry. Rocky hard terrain that was tough on the legs, quads, ankles and knees. I was so glad to be wearing the Hoka One One. The cushioning really helped to remove the harshness from the terrain. After a long climb we reached a plateau, crested and then had a very long technical decent to Menton in the distance.
Going down these rocky trails now was even harder. Tired legs, tired mind and it was easy to slip. I seemed to have a lack of connection between my thought process and action. I would be thinking one thing only to find my legs didn’t follow the thought process. I was loosing time when I should have been making it up but I had little choice. I lost 4/5 places over the final 90 minutes.
I was really thinking of Niandi here. I knew that this would be way beyond her comfort zone. She loves to run and she is bloody good at it. She loves the mountains and she loves trail but rocky and technical is just not her thing!
Finally I crossed under the autoroute and was running in the outskirts of Menton. I was looking for the cemetery that would give me the route back down to sea level and the beach finish. It finally came.
Within 10 minutes I was at the finish. It had taken me 7:44 to cover the 53k. I had climbed 10,000ft and decended 15,000ft. Although I had run the 17k race last year, the 53k race had been a surprise. I hadn’t anticipated it to be so difficult. The finish times and dnf’s reflect the severity. I WS 20th overall and although not disappointed I do feel it is a case of what might have been. I certainly couldn’t have been at the front with the winner in 5:53 but I do feel as though 6:30 to 6:45 is a realistic target.
At the finish I waited for Niandi. I was worried. I knew she would be hating being out on that mountain. My phone went and I had a message saying that she couldn’t keep upright and that her spirit was broken! I phoned, no answer. I was trying to decide if I should head back on the course and retrace. It wasn’t that I could do much but I could at least offer moral support. I decided against it. I was worried that Niandi may take a different route or that I may miss her. I headed to the old town and waited. She finally arrived. I could see the fatigue, the frustration and the desire for the finish in her face. I stopped the traffic, she ran across the road to the beach front, I ran at her side and then branched left to wait at the finish line. She crossed in 10:30hrs. Big hug and then the tears came! She was broken. Mentally and physically.
Post race Niandi was frustrated by what she considered to be a poor performance. No bad performance at all. She had achieved something in that race that so few people would even contemplate. We started in thunder, lightning and rain. We had climbed 10,000 ft, decended 15,000ft and had covered 33 very tough miles. No failure. No failure at all.
Sometimes it’s the taking part that is actually the achievement. To finish is enough and I have to say at the ‘Trail du Mercantour’ to finish was enough. It’s a great race, I thoroughly recommend it. It’s a beautiful and tough course in a great part of the world. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Would Niandi do it again? Mmmmmmm, what do you think?
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http://www.runwildrunfree.co.uk
Location:Menton, South of France
Lakeland Trek
THE LAKELAND TREK
I actually posted this Blog in 2010 but with Lakeland 50 and 100 races taking place last weekend, one or two people have asked me to re-post as they are thinking of doing the race in 2012. This blog covers much of the route but not all. I have another blog which I will also re-post that covers a recce day I did of the first 32 miles of the ’50’ route. Here: http://runwildrunfreeuk.blogspot.com/2010/06/lakeland-50100-recce.html
Photos here:http://picasaweb.google.com/runwild.runfree.uk/LakelandTrekAugust2010#
Day 1 Monday 23rd August – Coniston to Wasdale
We left my mum’s at 0700 and arrived at Ambleside for breakfast just before 0900. It was a nice leisurely start to the day – coffee and teacakes to help provide energy for the trek ahead. I also wanted to go the ‘Climbers Shop’ to purchase some trek poles. My Raidlight lightweight poles had broken and from the previous recce I had already decided ‘poles’ were an essential item to help on the climbs and decent. It turned out that they didn’t have the poles i wanted; thank god! I ended up with a much better pair and poles that are much more specific for future events. The Leki ‘Traveller’ poles come with a run glove so that you can clip the pole in and out of the hand in a flash. They work brilliantly and I can’t recommend them enough. So, with my poles purchased we moved to Coniston, parked the car and started at about 1100am. This was our first mistake…. you need to start 0700 or 0800 at the latest. Why? Well, quite simply the terrain is so tough that moving quickly just is not possible, particularly when you have ‘full kit’ and 2 ltrs of water on you. Also the rain… oh the rain!
We jogged and speed walked to start with and then hit the first climb which lasted for a few K’s to a car park at Roadhead. Here we headed right to Walna Scar. The rain was coming down but temperatures were pretty mild. We crossed a bridge and then climbed a very stoney strenuous path to the summit of Walna Scar Pass (summit 2106m). We were above the cloud. Pretty darn impressive. We headed downhill, the terrain similar to the other side. Tough, gnarly, rocky and wet. We finally reached a road, turned left and arrived at Seathwaite Village Hall. This would be checkpoint 1 in the L100 with 6.4 miles covered. We looked at each other and both thought wow! This is one seriously tough race.
From the checkpoint we retraced to a small church, opposite was a pathway. We squeezed through the stile and then navigated through woodland, over a bridge and headed for Wallowbarrow. The rain was coming harder and the ground was just boggy. Our feet were permanently wet. Passing through a farmyard we turned right and headed through woods to go around Wallowbarrow Crag on a good path. We took a permissive path and then entered what turned out to be the real ‘low’ of the 4 day trek. A boggy, wet, miserable fell and plantation area signposted to Eskdale. This area was miserable. We had no clear path to follow, the rain was torrential and we were slowly going higher and higher into the cloud and colder temperatures. We finally moved out of the plantation to a rutted, rocky and extremely wet underfoot section. It was hard. So hard, it made Niandi cry (no joke). We were cold, wet and tired and only about 11 miles in to the day. We both look back now and laugh but it was a low point. We pushed on after a little pep talk and at the top we crossed a gulley and found some shelter from a tree. We donned waterproofs, hats and gloves. This worked. It refreshed us and gave us a reason to carry on. One main problem with this sort of trek is that we are carrying minimal kit. I mean minimal. We both had 2 tops, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of socks, over trousers, waterproof jacket and a pair of ‘skins’ compression tights to sleep in; that was it! One set of kit was now wet and I was thinking how on earth are we going to get this stuff dry…..
We now took a rocky trail and made our way down the other side of the hill. We started to warm up as the rain eased. The terrain was still ridiculously difficult to navigate. The trekking poles proved an invaluable purchase as they provided that extra help and support to help keep us both upright. We arrived at Penny Hill Farm, took a permissive path and rejoined the main path. We now headed to Boot and had the wonderful site of a Pub. I needed to refill my bottles so it seemed the perfect excuse to grab a coffee, get warm, refuel and then push on. We didn’t hang around, maybe 20 min. Just around the corner was checkpoint 2 for the L100, a small Corn Mill.
From the Corn Mill we pushed uphill and headed over Eskdale Moor to Burnmoor Tarn. Again the ground was sodden and boggy with all the rain. Our feet were going to look like prunes. Heading NNE we followed a path to a wood. Wasdale was now in sight. We headed down the rutted, stoney path. Passed a climbers hut and arrived at Wasdale Campsite. It was now 1830. Our plan had been to reach Buttermere but this was another 6-7 miles away and with failing light, poor conditions we decided to call day 1 to an end. We were relieved. We were also relieved to find out that this campsite had a laundry room. Oh joy! We could get our clothes dry meaning that our following days were going to be far more comfortable.
The joys of trekking come when you have to pitch a tent in the rain, cook dehydrated food and hit the sleeping bag at 2100hrs.
Day 2 Tuesday 24th August – Wasdale to Blencathra Centre (checkpoint 6)
We were so tired we slept like logs despite the wind and rain hitting the tent all night. We awoke at 0600 to make coffee and porridge. We packed up and was on the trail by 0700. Within 1 mile we had to cross a river. Our feet were soaked. We headed to Wasdale Head Inn (checkpoint 3) and proceeded for 200m, through a gate and then started to climb to Gatherstone Beck. We then joined Black Sail Pass and pushed on going constantly up.
The rain came and battered us. Needless to say the terrain was really tough and this was topped off at the top with hale stone. We tried to shelter but it was hopeless. It is so open. We headed down a rocky wet trail. You had to be real careful. Very technical and very wet. You could slip any minute. We finally reached the bottom and crossed the River Liza. We passed Black Sail YHA hut and then climbed again to Scarth Gap.
It wasn’t 0900am and we had already climbed 2437 feet. The sun came out and our trek down from the summit to Buttermere and the Lakeside path was a real treat. We arrived in Buttermere just in time for tea and toast and a refuel of our bottles.
Buttermere Village Hall was checkpoint 4 in the L100, from here we turned right past the Bridge Hotel and then right up Ghyll Wood. We now started to gain height again, the path here was much better under foot and it was far easier to keep a consistent pace. We continued to climb to the summit at Sail Pass. The sun was out and this section was really enjoyable. I made a slight navigational error which meant that we had to do a little rock climbing up a pretty much vertical wall to rejoin the appropriate path.
Niandi was not impressed. At the Col at Barrow Door we took a good path descending all the way down aiming for the right hand side of a small wood. We went through a gate, joined a tarmac road and followed until we arrived in the centre of Braithwaite. St Huthbert’s Church Hall was checkpoint no 5.
From Buttermere we had climbed another 2440ft so now a section of flat road was a welcome relief. I called in a camp site to fill my bottles on the edge of Braithwaite and then we ran along the A66 towards Keswick. It was funny to have cars and people around us. We followed the cycle path and then ran along an old railway track. Passing a Church we then negotiated a few road junctions to take a left up Spoony Green Lane and head towards Skiddaw. Now on the Cumbria Way we started to climb up once again and good paths. After 2km or so we reached a car park. We navigated left and then climbed up and around Whit Beck. The light started to fail even though it was late afternoon and the cloud started to come in. Rain?
We struggled along Lonsdale Crags, crossed a wooden bridge and then took the upper track heading to our end point for the day, Blencathra Centre (checkpoint 6). We had covered another 1548ft making the day total around 5500ft.
Our day didn’t end here though! The L100 route continues east towards Dalemain. I had already done this section and due to time constraints our plan was to head south and pick up the L100 route at Ambleside. I therefore navigated 2 or 3 miles to Burns farm Campsite, east of Keswick and directly south from the Blencathra Centre.
We arrived at the site, pitched the tent, showered and then settled to instant noodles, dried fruit and coffee. Bliss. Today had been quite a tough day. At some point in the morning I had either twisted or banged my left knee. Unfortunately the pain had just got worse during the day. I was a little worried of the implications. I put my ‘skins’ on, took some ibuprofen and hoped for the best.
Day 3 Wednesday 25th August – Burns Farm (Keswick) to Ambleside
Wow, last night was chilly. Niandi slept with the following clothing on inside the sleeping bag: thermal long sleeve North Face top, Gore long sleeve run top, Gore Tex jacket, fleece hat, socks and skins tights. She still said it was cold….. Me, I just got cold….. Of course it rained in the night too.
We were up at 0600 again to porridge and coffee and then left at 0700. Today I was navigating to Ambleside. I had decided that if we got a good start and pushed on we could be in Grasmere for early afternoon and have a treat. A cream tea!
Leaving Burns arm we had a small section of road before following the path signs leading to Low Rigg. It was a lovely morning. Chilly but sunny. We got into climbing straight away and reached the summit pretty quickly. We descended and then took the path climbing up to High Rigg. Terrain underfoot was pretty good. Of course it was wet, boggy, rocky and muddy but we were now used to this. We expected no less.
The sun came over Staybarrow Dodd to the east and the light was fantastic. It illuminated the mountain ranges and showed us the beauty that is the English Lakes. Sheep kept popping up everywhere. They just wanted to be photographed.
From the summit we followed good paths to the south east corner. When we arrived at the road we had a small section to navigate before joining the pathway that goes around Thirlmere. This was a great section.
Good paths, great views and the sun on our backs. It felt like we were in Canada or the Alps.
Pine trees and Lakeland views. Halfway on the path we moved east, crossed the road and then picked up the forest path that runs parallel to the lake. A great section. We had thick forest to navigate through. Apparently this is a Red Squirrel reserve but we didn’t see any.
We now followed the trail that run parallel to the A591 crossing the main road to take the path on the west side of the road. Somehow I missed the official path and navigated south through boggy fields. It wasn’t a problem as we had the clear objective of Grasmere in-front of us. The main issue was the terrain. It was very very boggy. I decided with the help of my gps to move up the fells and rejoin the path.
It was at this point that Niandi stepped forward with her left leg and sunk straight to her waist. My initial laugh was soon stopped as I ran over to stop Niandi singing any further. Her shoe was starting to come off and I could see the panic. Walking poles stuck in the ground, Niandi took my hands and I pulled her out…. I was waiting for the outburst but it didn’t come.
It was actually about 10 mins later when I made her climb over another stone wall to reach the ‘official’ footpath. Back on track we arrived in Grasmere within 20 mins and as promised Niandi and myself had a fantastic cram tea. I can’t tell you how good a cream tea is when you have really earned it.
The break was welcome and we took the western path around Grasmere taking the lake path leading to the climb of Red Bank. This is a really steep climb but over good path and when reaching Loughrigg we had superb views over the whole of the Lakeland range.
We descended down and spent the night at a small campsite near Loughrigg Tarn. It was a simple site and unfortunately had no shower facilities. Thank goodness for ‘wet wipes’. No shower was compensated for with a pub less than 0.5 mile away. Oh the joys of some great pub food and a glass of wine.
Day 4 26th August – Ambleside to Coniston
The coldest night of the week made for very broken sleep. Never good when you have to put clothes on to go to bed. We had no rain but we almost had a frost.
Our tent was covered in so much condensation and dew that it actually appeared as though it had rained. The sun was up and the day was obviously going to be the hottest so far. Porridge for brekkie again.
We started our day with a jacket on, over-trousers, hat and gloves. We walked on roads to the Skelwith Bridge Hotel and then joined the Cumbria Way footpath to Elterwater Village. This pathway was good underfoot and flat. It was easy to make a good pace and in comparison to the previous 3 days it was a walk in the park.
At the village we turned left and took the quarry road eventually joining a footpath on the right. We followed the path and arrived at Chapel Stile and checkpoint 13. It was now pretty warm. Finally we were able to strip down to shorts and top. Summer was here!
We re joined the Cumbria Way and headed through the Langdale Valley. This valley for many IS the Lake District. It is stunning landscape and on a day when god shines his light it looks fantastic. The path is good all the way to the Dungeon Ghyll campsite.
Turning left we took the steep zig zag path leading to the summit at Side Pike Pass. We crossed the road and then took the good trails around Blea Tarn to the south west corner. We were making good time and as I have said previously today was turning out to be easy.
From the tarn we had to navigate across a rough fell with no clear path. As per usual it was bogy. More wet feet ! On arriving at the top corner of the fell we joined the road and ran downhill to Fell Foot Farm. After a small section of road we navigated towards a small white cottage. This was an idyllic scene. The property is owned by the National Trust and is picture postcard material.
Taking the path we climbed up and I took the wrong path….. doh! I took the first right path instead of following the main path to the right. Gps once again proved a real help as this provided me with an exact location and confirmed my error. Having said that, it turned out to be a bonus. It added 2 miles to the day and we got to see a disused mine.
Back on track we moved along good paths to Tiberthwaite car park and checkpoint 14.
We now had approximately 4 miles left and today’s ‘easy’ day showed the kick in the tail. At this point in the L100 you will have now covered ironically 100 miles… yes I know. It’s a 100 mile race BUT it is actually 104. The climb up Tiberthwaite is tough, steep and technical. At this point in the race it must be so demoralising.
Onwards and upwards you cross a stream at the top and then have to navigate across open boggy fell with no clear path. If you were doing this at night it would be very confusing. By taking a SSW direction and just keeping going I finally picked up the main path to then take the tough rocky and technical descent back down Milners Bridge before taking easy roads back to Coniston.
Job done.
Conclusion
Firstly, the 100 mile Lakeland loop is a classic in the making. It is without doubt the toughest course I have ever encountered. Trekking it was a real challenge and very rewarding. To try and run/walk it within 40 hours is a completely different challenge. You have so much to take in to consideration. The course, navigation, weather and basically just having the strength and determination to just keep soldiering on is a challenge in itself. If you plan on doing the 50 or the 100 mile race without doubt take time to recce the route. It will prove invaluable. The road book provided for the race is superb but it is still easy to go wrong. I made a few mistakes, nothing drastic but better to do it in training and then on race day you can just keep moving forward on the correct path. It is also important to remember that you will be on the course at night. If you get the cold and wet weather we had with mist and darkness it could very well be terrifying without a sense of direction.
If you don’t fancy racing, split the course as we did and do it over 4/5 days or why not make the course 4 or 5 separate day trips. It’s a challenge that will prove extremely rewarding.
Kit Recommendations
I am going to recommend kit here that applies to a multi-day trek as I feel that you can edit the list so that you can exclude items that will not be needed for a race.
Rucksac – I chose a waterproof salomon XA running sac with a salomon chest pack. This was absolutely perfect. The waterproof main compartment kept all my kit dry. I didn’t use a camel back but chose to carry 3 x 500ml bottles in the chest pack. This helped balance the weight front and back and made me more comfortable. Also the front pack gave instant access to maps, gps and any other essential items.
Tent – Vaude Ultralite. This was brilliant. I looked at all options and tested many before making a purchase. This tent goes up in 2 mins and is free standing. It pitches with the ‘inner’ already attached and therefore in bad weather you stand a good chance to keep the living area dry. It packs small, is light (but not the lightest) and has plenty of room for two.
GPS – I used a Garmin Oregon with Lake District in 1:25,000 detail. The gps is perfect for finding out your exact location. Also, the race directors provide the full route as waypoints, so, if need be you can navigate the whole race via a handheld device/
Poles – I used Leki ‘Traveller’ poles. I consider these essential.
Sleeping Bag – It needs to pack small, be light and warm. Not an easy combination. I chose a model that did 2 of the 3. Unfortunately warm it wasn’t…. a change required.
Sleep Matt – I didn’t take a sleep matt due to weight but I would recommend one. I found the cold struck through the tent and this added to my cold nights. Thermalite do a range. They are not cheap (ppx £80) but I will get one for next time.
Cooker – Jetboil. The ultimate boiling facility. It packs small, all folds up to a neat package and gives you piping hot water in 2-3 mins.
Food – Light and dehydrated food is the best choice. It’s not cheap but works well for treks of this nature. I took fresh coffee in sealed bags and I had a nifty little device to provide filter coffee. We had instant oats in individual bags for breakfast. Just add hot water and away you go. For snacks I had energy bars, nuts, mixed fruit, cereal bars and other little treats to take while on the route and in the evening. I also had a tube of ‘electrolyte tablets’ to make sure I was hydrated all the time.
Clothing – Make sure you have a waterproof jacket and over trousers with taped seams. If you can afford Gore Tex – get them! I used lightweight long sleeve tops by North face (flight series) as they are a warm, light and extremely functional. I had normal run shorts and long tights made by ‘skins’ for the evening to help my legs recover. I had 2 pairs of socks. Would I take more clothes? Possibly yes. If you get soaking wet or cold you have little option with minimal kit. It is a balancing act.
Shoes – I used Brooks Cascadia Trail shoes. I have tried all the shoes on the market and for me these offered the best compromise. Good on the road, good on the trails and importantly comfortable all day.
Extras – I used a Garmin 310 gps to measure my runs and provide data. I had a Blackberry phone with me as this was ideal for emergency calls or any important emails. I had 2 luxury items – a wind up radio and a ‘power monkey’ solar charger. The solar charger gave my Garmin 310 autonomy over the 4 days and it also allowed me to re-charge my phone.
I could go on with all the other little bits such as folding bowls, cups, ‘sporks’ and all the other little nicks and nacks one can find in camping shops but I feel that finding these items yourself is all part of the fun.
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